BANGLADESH (Metro Rail News): Sheikh Hasina is slated to launch the work for the country’s first-ever Mass Rapid Transit Line-1 at 11:00 am on February 2 at Sector-4, Purbachal. This was reported on+ January 30 by the Managing Director of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited, MAN Siddique.
The government will be constructing a 31.241-kilometre route between Airport-Kamalapur and Purbachal-Natun Bazar-Pitalganj, Rupganj, which will be both underground and elevated.
He stated that the DMTCL had taken the initiative to initiate the mega project. Per the project specifications, the first railway depot of MRT Line-1 will be constructed in the Pitalganj area of Narayanganj, and all necessary arrangements have been made to commence the construction works.
 It was also reported that part one of MRT Line-1 is the Airport Route (from the Airport to Kamalapur), which is 19.872 kilometres long and is underground, with 12 stations. Part two is the Purbachal Route (from Natun Bazar to Pitalganj Depot, Rupganj), with 11.369 kilometres in length and is elevated, having nine stations; seven of these stations will be above-ground, while Natun Bazar and Nadda stations will be underground, as part of the Airport route.
The Managing Director declared that Natun Bazar station would offer an interchange service with MRT Line-5 (Northern Route), enabling travellers to reach the Airport route from Purbachal or Purnachal through the interchange.
The project report stated that MRT Line-1 would take twenty-four minutes from Dhaka airport to Kamalapur, with a stop at twelve underground stations, and twenty minutes to travel from Notun Bazar to Purbachal, with a stop at seven stations. Furthermore, it reported that when MRT Line 1 is launched, this route will afford eight lakh passengers to travel.
The MRT Line-1 will consist of underground and elevated stations. The ticket counter and other related facilities will be situated on the first basement level for the underground stations, and the platform will be located on the second level.
The ticket counter and platform will be on the third floor for the elevated stations. In addition, elevated and underground stations will be conveniently equipped with lifts, stairs and escalators.
The Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited has contracted with Japan’s Tokyo Construction Company Limited and Bangladesh’s Max Infrastructure Limited for the project, which will be executed in twelve packages.
